Some people wonder if the story of the Wampanoag and Pilgrims celebrating the first Thanksgiving is true. Other people wonder why we keep eating the same foods every Thanksgiving. And I wonder why the potential for good relations between Native Americans and later Americans has still not been worked out, after all this time.

The Pilgrims and Wampanoag give thanks for the abundance of food the earth provides. | Source

First Dinner Giving Thanks With Native American Indians

The story about the "first" Thanksgiving party in Massachusetts is true. Massachusetts Governor William Bradford, my direct ancestor six generations back, hosted that party. He left notes of it in his journal, as did one of his assistants, Edward Winslow. Winslow's journal entry below shows some of the preparations the Pilgrims went through. Here is the story.

The harvest in 1621 was a good one. In October, Bradford invited his friend, Massasoit, and the Wampanoag to join his own group of about 50 surviving "saints" in thanks for the bountiful harvest they had jointly produced. About 90 Wampanoag attended.

The Wampanoag, after having witnessed half of my ancestor's group perish the year before from starvation and fever, had taught the survivors how to identify, cultivate, and cook the native foods that grew so abundantly in the area. The party was held not only to celebrate survival and a great harvest, but also to honor the friendship that had evolved between two very different cultures, each with a lot to share.

Thanksgiving Journal Entry - Edward Winslow, Mourt's Relation

". . . our harvest being gotten in, our governour sent foure men on fowling, that so we might after a speciall manner rejoyce together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labours ; they foure in one day killed as much fowle, as with a little helpe beside, served the Company almost a weeke, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Armes, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoyt, with some ninetie men, whom for three dayes we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deere, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governour, and upon the Captaine and others. And although it be not always so plentifull, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plentie."

WE ARE ALL THANKFUL TO OUR MOTHER, THE EARTH, FOR SHE GIVES US ALL THAT WE NEED FOR LIFE.

— HAUDENOSAUNEE (IROQUOIS) THANKSGIVING ADDRESS

Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

More than two hundred years of conflict later, President Abraham Lincoln acquiesed to the entreaties of Sarah Josepha Hale (of Godey's Ladies Book) to create a national holiday of Thanksgiving, which had continued to be celebrated sporadically across the fledgling nation. Sarah, a prolific writer, had been working for forty years to get Thanksgiving declared a national holiday.

Lincoln finally declared it so, with the intent of bridging differences between two other disparate groups of people, the North and the South, both of which had their own forms of harvest celebration. His Proclamation of Thanksgiving was written in October 1863, two years before the Civil War ended. We now celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of every November.

When is Thanksgiving Day This Year?

The actual day of Thanksgiving stays the same each year: Thursday during the 4th week of November in the United States. Canada has its Thanksgiving celebration on the 2nd Monday of October.

The Spread of Turkey & Other Native American Foods

By Lincoln's time explorers and merchants had introduced American native foods worldwide, where some were accepted and others were not. Ireland adopted the potato as its own, Italy accepted tomatoes and zucchini, Switzerland took cocoa, and India and China embraced the hot and sweet peppers the Americas produced.

Each region of the world already had its own game bird, so turkey didn't catch on worldwide. But here in the United States, turkey became the most popular source of meat for traditional Thanksgiving dinners.

Food for Thanksgiving Dinner

In the US it became the practice to prepare original American foods for Thanksgiving, which meant feasts of turkey or quail with cranberry sauce, corn on the cob, yellow squash and/or yams, green beans, and mashed potatoes and gravy, finished off with pumpkin and/or pecan pie.

All of these foods and more are indigenous to this continent. The fact that some of them have saved many other countries from starvation (especially potatoes), is a tribute to the Amerindians who first cultivated and shared them, and the Europeans who transported them in their ships to the folks back home.

The charts below show, in alphabetical order, foods that Native Americans cultivated, some of which are now considered an integral part of other countries' "traditional" dishes.

Indigenous American Foods Used Worldwide

Amaranth

Avocado

Beans of all kinds

Blueberries

Cashews

Cassava (tapioca)

Chocolate

Corn/maize (including popcorn)

Maple syrup

Papaya

Passion fruit

Peanuts

Peppers (hot & sweet)

Pineapple

Pine nuts

Potatoes

Sweet potatoes & yams

Sunflowers & seeds

Tomatoes

Vanilla

Zucchini

Indigenous American Foods Just Starting to Spread

Acai

Acorn

Buffalo

Catfish

Chayotes

Chokecherries

Cranberries

Gooseberries

Hickory

Jerky

Pecans

Pokeweed

Pumpkin

Quinoa

Sassafrass

Squashes

Turkey

Wild rice

These lists are taken from a fascinating book called Indian Givers, by Jack Weatherford. This book lists an amazing number of additional products the American Continent gave the world, some of which are so commonplace worldwide that I had no idea they came originally from here.

Every year families cook and eat Thanksgiving dinner together. It's a time for appreciating the love of relatives and friends, along with the abundance we all share. | Source

Celebrating Thanksgiving Today

My immediate family celebrates Thanksgiving with a traditional American dinner, which we all pitch in to prepare and clean up afterward. The dinner is accompanied by great discussions, games, laughter, roasted marshmallows, and singing with guitars and harmonies.

It's a loving, creative gathering of parents, siblings, and kids - not the 150 or so celebrants of my ancestor's time, but big enough for us. We remember and appreciate the lives of our parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents who have passed on, and of other family members living too far away to join us in California.

An Attitude of Gratitude

Although my family is only a little bit Native American (Cherokee), I feel proud to see how many American foods, originally cultivated by the first inhabitants of this continent, have played such a major role in the health and survival of people worldwide. For that, alone, I am grateful. Yet Amerindians have shared so many additional things that have made our country great, that I find it disappointing we have not yet developed an equitable working relationship between our two cultures.

This year I've decided to dedicate Thanksgiving to whatever partnership currently exists between Native Americans and the mainstream population, however unacknowledged it may be. The first step toward rectification is appreciation, after all, and I am honored to extend appreciation to those who gave so much to my ancestors that has filtered down to us today.

Thanksgiving Blessing

To all Native Americans up and down the entire Americas: Thank you for your generosity so many years ago. May we find a way to create new partnerships in these times that counteract the worst of the past with something much better, including mutual benefit, respect, and understanding.

Have you ever included Native Americans in your Thanksgiving blessings?